Penne Arrabbiata (Spicy Tomato Pasta)
A classic Italian dish, Penne Arrabbiata is pasta tossed in a spicy tomato sauce and finished off with basil and Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 cup (~100g) penne
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red chili pepper sliced or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 (~200g) tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon grounded black pepper
- ¼ cup pasta water
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Make a cross on the bottom of each tomato and add them in boiling water. Let simmer for 2-3 mins until you start to see the skin peel. Transfer to a bowl of cold water. Remove the peel and roughly chop the tomatoes.
- Heat oil in a pan and toast the garlic. Avoid burning it by cooking it over medium heat.
- Sauté the red chili for about a minute to release its flavour.
- Then add your tomatoes and let them simmer on medium-low heat for about 6-8 mins.
- While the tomatoes are simmering, cook your pasta till al-dente in a large pot of salted water. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water.
- Don’t wash the pasta otherwise the sauce won’t stick to it. Just drain it and immediately add to your sauce.
- Then to your Arrabbiata sauce add the tomato paste, starchy pasta water, salt, grounded black pepper and 6-7 chopped basil leaves. Sauté another 2 minutes and then toss in your pasta immediately after draining. Do not rinse the pasta. Toss well and adjust seasonings.
- Finish off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and remaining fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
- Penne can be alternated with spaghetti, rigatoni and fusilli.
- You can use the same pot of water that you softened tomatoes in, to boil the pasta . Just salt it before adding the pasta!
- Cook the penne till al dente; it will further cook in the sauce, so don't overdo it.
- If your tomatoes are acidic, you can add a little sugar to make them less sour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 11gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 735mgPotassium: 449mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 2mg
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